Automatic straw and chaff saver



June 4, 1963 A. WEIGEL AUTOMATIC sTRAw AND CHAFF SAVER 4 Sheets-Shea?I 1Filed Nov. 29. 1961 June 4, 1963 A. WEIGEL AUTOMATIC STRAW AND CHAF'F'SAVER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 29. 1961 June 4, 1963 A. WEIGEL.

AUTOMATIC sTRAw AND CHAFF SAVER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 29, 1961June 4, 1963 A.WE1GEL AUTOMATIC sTRAw AND CHAFF SAVER 4 Sheets-Shea?l 4Filed Nov. 29, 1961 United States Patent Office 3,652,227?. PatentedJune 4, idoli 3,092,272 AUTOMATIC STRAW AND CHAFF SAVER Alois Weigel,Napoleon, N. Dalt. Filed Nov. 29, 196i, Ser. No. 155,648 1 Claim. (Cl.214-561) This invention relates to a device -or receiving andautomaticaihy dumping cha, straw and the like which is discharged from acombine or harvester, whereby the chal and straw can be deposited on theground in piles.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a wheeledunit or vehicle which is adapted to be attached to and mountedrearwardly of a combine so that the straw and chai which is dischargedfrom the usual discharge chute of the combine will be received in thedevice of the present invention, whereby when a suiiiciently heavy loadis received in the device, a mechanism will be automatically actuated todump the material into a pile on the ground.

A `further object of the present invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which is constructed so that the straw land chaiwill be automatically dumped in piles along the ground, so that thepiles of material can be subsequently collected `and `used for anydesired purpose, 'and wherein the present invention is adjustable sothat it can be made to be actuated for loads of different sizes orweights as desired or required.

A further important advantage or object of the present invention is thatit may be quite simply and cheaply produced in quantity to permit thegeneral use thereof.

These `and many other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to those versed in the art in the following descriptionlof one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the"accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of the straw and cha saver of the presentinvention, with parts broken Iaway and in section.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of FGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is ya side elevational view, with parts broken away and insection, showing the body in dumping position, whereas FIGURE 2 showsthe body in loading position.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6 6 of FlGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View taken on the line 7 7 of FIGURE 6.

FlGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of FIGUREl.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 2G indicates ya portionof a conventional combine or harvester which includes the usualrearwardly disposed discharge chute 2l that is adapted to dischargestraw, chaff or the like as indicated by the numeral 22.-, FIGURE 2.According to the present invention there is provided a straw and chalsaver which is indicated generally by the numeral 23, and the device 23is shown to comprise a horizontally disposed shaft or anle 24 which hasVa pair of ground engaging wheels 25 connected thereto. The numeral 33indicates a chassis which comprises a pair of horizontally disposedspaced parallel beams 26 that have their rear ends suitably iamxed tothe axle 24, and the numeral 27 indicates a horizontally disposedtubular member or tongue which has its Irear end affixed as by weldingto the axle 24. Angularly arranged brace pieces 28 are secured to orformed integral with the iront end portions of the beams 26, and thefront portions of the brace pieces 28 are secured as by Welding to thetongue 27. The numeral 29 indicates a support piece which is suitablyallixed to the upper front portion of the tongue 27, and a ball member3% is mounted on the support piece 29, FlGURE 2. The bah member 30 isadapted to be attached or connected to a hitch 3l on the rear portion ofthe combine 2Q, the numeral 32. indicating the usual rearwardly disposedwheels on the `combine Ztl.

Extending upwardly `from the axle 24 and secured thereto as by weldingis a pair of vertically disposed spaced parallel support members 34, andthe numeral 35 indicates a pivot rod which is horizontally disposed, andythe rod 35 is secured as by welding to the upper portions of thesupport members 34, FlGURE 4.

The numeral 36 indicates a pivotally mounted body of the device 23, andthe body 36 includes a lower frame which is'indicated generally by thenumeral 37, and the fra-me 37 includes a pair of spaced apart outer bars38 as well as an inner bar 39. Plates or gussets 40 and 41 are ailixedto the bars 3 :and 39 as at 42 and 43, FIG- URE 4, and these plates 49and 4l `.are provided with registering apertures 44 and 45 through whichextend portions of the rod 35 yas shown in the drawings.

The tbody 36 includes the pair of spaced parallel vertically disposed-side walls 46 which have their lower ends connected to the bars 38 as`at 42, and the lower portions of the side walls 46 have registeringopenings 47 therein for the projection therethrough of the rod 35. Aplurality of spaced apart upstanding brace elements 4S are suitablyatlixed to the side walls 45. The front of the tbody 36 is open.

As shown in FlGURE 3 -i`or example, upstanding arms 49 are ahixed to therear portions of the side walls 46, and an end gate 50 has its upperportion hingedly connected to the arms 49 as lat 5.1, and the end `gate50 may have a reinforced strip 52 on the lower portion thereof.

There is further provided a latch means which is indicated `generally bythe numeral 53, yand the latch means 53 is `adapted to vbe used `forselectively maintaining the end `gate 54T;` in closed position relativeto the rear end of the body member 36. As shown in the drawings thelatch means 53 comprises lugs 54 which are suitably afxed'to the upperVrear portion of the bars 38, and levers or keepers 55 `are pivotallyconnected to the lugs 54 as at 56. The keepers 55 `are provided withshoulders 57 for engaging the lower edge portion of the end gate 5i?, asfor example when the par-ts are in the position of FIG- URE 2. Springmembers 53 have their lower ends connected to the keepers 55, and theupper ends of the spring members 53 are connected to the side walls 46as at 59, FIGURE 3.

The numeral 6? indicates a bottom section or floor section which ismovably'mounted in the lower portion of the body 36, whereby the bottomsection 66 is mounted for relative movement towards and away from thevframe 37. The bottom section 6d includes a plurality of spaced parallelvframe pieces 61 which have a base member or bottom wall 62 affixedthereto in any suitable manner, FIGURE 4. The bottom section 6d -furtherincludes a rearwardly disposed crosspiece 63 which is iadapted toselectively engage the keepers 55 when load on the bottom section 6l? issuilicient-ly heavy, as later described in this application.

As shown in 'the drawings, cross elements -or brace elements 64 aresuitably allxed to the side Walls 46 of the body 36, and coil springs orspring members 65 have their upper ends connected to the cross elements64 as Aat 66, while the lower ends of the spring members 65 are anchoredto ilugs 67 on the beams 216.

The numeral 68 indicates stop members on. the beams 26 for limitingdownward pivotal movement of the body 36 in a counter clockwisedirection, FIGURES 3 and 4.

There is lfurther provided brackets 69 which are axed to the side Walls46 as `at 79, FIGURE 6,V and adjustable counterweights 71 are supported:on or mounted on the brackets 69. These counterweights 71 includesegments or separate parts 72 and 73 which are `adapted to be joined Ytogether by securing elements 74, FIGURE 7. Thus, by loosening thesecuring elements 74, the counterweights 71 `can Ibe adjusted to adesired position along the brackets 69 in order to permit thecounterweights to be used for controlling operation :of the presentinvention in .the desired manner or at the proper time.

As shown in FIGURE 8, there is provided fa locking means which isindicated generally by the numeral 75, and the Vlocking means 75 i-sladapted to be used for selec- .tively maintaining the body 36 inloading position, -as for in closed position relative to the rear end ofthe body 36. The end gate 50 is maintained .in locked or closed positionby means of the latch means 53 which includes the keepers 55 that areprovided with the shoulders 57 for engaging the lower edge portion ofthe end gate 50, and springs 58 serve to normally urge or the keepersV55 to a counter-clockwise direction, FIGURES 2 and 3, Vso that theshoulders 57 will maintain the end gate 50 in closed position relative-to the rear end of the body 36.

example yas shown in FIGURE 2. The locking means 75 l includes agenerally L-shaped support element 76, which is 'secured as by weldingto the tongue 27, and the numeral 77 indicates an upstanding lever orlretainer which has its lower end pivotally connected to the support`element 76 as at 78. The retainer 77 is provided with a recess 79Ytherein wherein there is defined inthe upper portion of the retainer 77a lip 80, yand the upper portion yof the retainer 77 is beveled orinclined as at 81.

The frame 37 further includes a forwardly arranged crosspiece 82 whichhas a finger 83 secured thereto las by welding, and the finger 83 isadapted to engage the ,recess 79 Vand lip 80. A lug 84 depends `from thetongue 27, FIGURE 8, and a coil spring vor spring member 85 has its rearend connected as at 86 to the lug 34, and the front end of the springmember 85 is connected as at 87 to the lower portion 4of the retainer77. The numeral V88 indicates a bracket that is secured `as by weld-ingto the retainer 77, and the bracket 88 includes `a lower portion 89 aswell las an upper inclined portion 90, and the portion 90 is arrangedangularly with respect to the lower portion 89. Y

Aflixed to the upper front portion of the frame 37 is spaced .parallel-lugs 91, and certain of the bars 61 of the bottom section 60 arepivotally or hingedly connected to the lugs 91 as at 92. The bottomsection 60 is provided with a forwardly arranged cross beam forcrosspiece 93, and a leg 94 depends from the intermediate portion of thecross beam 93 and is suitably aixed thereto, FIG- URE 5. The numeral 95indicates `a pusher or stud which is connected to the leg 94, and thepusher 95 is adapted to selectively engage the bracket 88, Kas forexample as shown in FIGURE 8.

Spaced apart standards or bars 96 depend from the front portion of thebottom section 60, and these standards 96 have spring members 97'connected thereto, the rear portions of the spring members 97 beingconnected to lugs 98 which depend from the frame 37 From -the foregoing,it is :apparent that there has been provided a straw and chair saver,and in use with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings, it will beseen that the straw and chaff saver 23 of the present invention isadapted to be arranged rearwardly of a conventional combine such as thecombine whereby Ias the combine 20 movesl along a field of growing cropsor grain or the like, the chafl` yand straw will be blow Iout ordischarged out through the chute 21 into the wagon or device 23. Theldevice V23 is adapted to be connected to the com-bine 20 as for exampleby means of the hitch elements 31 land 30 so that las the combine 20moves along the eld, the device 23 will be towed therebehind. The wheels25 permit the device 23 to move along the iield in the desired manner,and it is to be noted that ,the ychassis 33 remains in arhorizontalposition, but :the body 36 is pivotally or rockably lmountedso that for example it can move to and from a loading position such asthat shown in FIG- URE 2 to a dumping position such as that shown inFIGURE 3.

Also, with the parts in the position of FIGURE 2 the locking means 75serve to maintain `the body 36 locked to the chassis 33 due =to theprovision of the parts illustrated in the figures such as in FIGURE 8.Thus, the locking means 75 includes the retainer 77 which is pivot--ally connected as at 78 to the stationary 'bracket 76 on Vthe tongue27, and the retainer 77 is provided with the recess 79 :and lip 80 forselective engagement by the finger 83 `on the front end of the frame 37.Thus, with the parts in the position of FIGURES 2 or 8, the nger 83 isengaged below they lip so that the body 36 cannot rock or pivot in raclockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 2.

The mechanism 75 remains in locking position, and latch means 53 remainsin locking or holding position until the load of material 22 on thebottom section 60 reaches `a predetermined weight or size. When thematerial 22 issuiciently heavy lon the bottoni section 60, the bottomsection 60 pivots downwardly in a clockwise direction, FIGURE 2, and thebottom section 60 pivots on an axis extending through the pivot pins 92so that .the rear portion lof the bottom section 60 can m'ove towardsthe rear portion of the frame 37, and as the bottom section 60 pivots in:a clockwise direction, its rearwardly disposed crosspiece 63 movesVdownwardly into engagement with lthe keepers 55 to overcome the holdingforce of the springs 58 so that the shoulders 57 are below and out ofengagement with the lower edge 'of the end gate 50 whereby the end gate50 can swing ropen as for example from the position shown in FIGURE 2 tothe position shown'in FIGURE 3, and the hinges 51 permit this opening orswinging movement of the end gate 50 to take place, whereby with thebody 36 in dumping position as shown in FIGURE 3, the material 22 canautomatically dump out of the body 36 onto the ground to be subsequentlyretrieved or collected in any desired manner. Thus, the presentinvention forms neat and convenient piles of straw and chal that is in aconvenient location along the field instead of permitting the straw andchal to blow `out the chute 21 onto the ground in random orhelter-skelter fashion.

It is to be noted that when the material 22 reaches the predeterminedweight or size, the locking means 75 is released so as to permit thebody 36 `to pivot or tilt from a position shown in FIGURE 2 to theposition shown in FIGURE 3, and the body 36 tilts or rocks about `anaxis v extending through the rod 35. The releasing of the locking means75 ytakes place as follows. As the weight of the material 22 forces thebottom section 60 downwardly, the leg 94 is moved in a clockwisedirection, FIGURE 8, whereby since the pusher is connected to the leg94, the pusher 95 will 'be moved in a ,direction corresponding to thedirection of movement of the leg 94, so that the pusher 95 will move'into engagement with the portion 89 of the bracket 88, and the bracket88 is secured as by welding to the retainer 77. Thus, the engagement ofthe pusher 95 with the bracket 88 will cause the retainer 77 to bepivoted in a counter-clockwise direction, FIG- URE 8, so that theretainer 77 will be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction about an'axis extending through the pin 78, and this counter-clockwise pivotalmovement of the retainer 77 will move the lip 80 rearwardly to permitthe finger 83 to 'clear the recess 79 and lip 80 whereby with the load22 in the rear portion of the body 36, the body 36 will tilt or rock tothe position shown in FIG- URE 3 from the position shown in FIGURE 2,and with the end gate 50 open, the material 22 will automatically dumpto form a pile of material on the ground.

The springs 65 function as the return springs for helping7 to return orpivot the body 36 from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to the positionshown in FIGURE 2, after the load 22 has been dumped. Thus, the springs65 have their lower ends connected as at 67 to the chassis 33, while theupper ends of the springs 65 are connected as at 66 to the element 64 ofthe body 36 so that the springs 65 can stretch or expand in lorder topermit the dumping to take place `as shown in FIGURE 3, and after theload 22 has been dumped or emptied, the inherent resilience of thesprings 65 helps return the body 36 to loading position as shown inFIGURE 2. When the body 36 returns -to loading position as shown inFIGURE 2 from the position shown in FIGURE 3, the locking mechanism 75is automatically operated or actuated whereby the locking mechanism 75wil-l serve to maintain the body 36 n the position of FIGURE 2 until theload 22 again reaches a predetermined size or weight. The counterweightshelp return the body 36 from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to theposition shown in FIGURE 2 after the load has been emptied, and thesecounterweights 71 are adjustably mounted so that they can be shiftedback and forth on the member 69 in order to provide a means for varyingthe pivotal or rocking action of the body 36 so that for example thebody 36 can be made to dump or pivot for different weights of material22 as desired or required. To shift the weights 71, the screws orsecuring elements 74 can be loosened whereby the weights 71 can beadjusted to the desired position, and then the securing elements 74 canbe tightened to maintain the weights 71 immobile in their adjustedposition. Also, the elements 66 rare adapted to be adjusted to provide ameans for varying the tension or force exerted by the spring 65 and thisprovides an additional means for adjusting the pivotal or rocking actionof the body 36.

The spring 85 serves to normally urge or bias the retainer 77 in aclockwise direction relative to the pivot pin 78, FIGURE 8, so that thenecessary or desired locking action between the recess 79 and lip 80 andlinger 83 can take place. However, when the load 22 is suflicientlyheavy, the bottom Section 60 Will be pivoted on its pivot axis 92whereby the pusher 95 will push against the brackets 88 to pivot theretainer 77 in a counterclockwise direction relative to an axisextending through the pivot pin 78 so that the holding action or forceexerted by the spring 85 n be overcome in order to permit the finger 83to move free or clear of the lip 80 and recess 79. The element 86provides ra means for `adjusting `the tension or force exerted by thespring 85. The springs 97 are anchored as at 98 to the frame 37, andthese springs 97 are also anchored or connected to the standards 96 onthe cross beam 93 of the bottom section 6i) so that the springs 97function to assist in raising the bot-tom section 60 after the load 22has been dumped. Thus, the springs 97 help return the bottom section 60to loading position -by urging or biasing the bottom section 69 to pivotin a counter-clockwise direction about an axis extending through thepins 92 after the load is dumped, so that the bottom section 60 will beautomatically returned to starting or loading position ready to receiveother quantities of material 22 thereon.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapesor sizes.

The device of the present invention is adapted to be attached behind acombine and functions -to save straw, sprouts, and the like. Thedischarge chute 21 is adapted to be of the type which can be adjusted upor down whereby the material 22 issuing or discharging from the 6 chute21 can be properly directed into the interior of the body 36.

Primarily, the vehicle 23 is to `catch the straw and chaff as it leavesthe combine harvester, and there is provided the Weights and springmeans which function cooperatively with the other parts whereby the loadis dumped in the field upon reaching its load weight. Immediately afterthe load has been dumped, the body member again assumes its normalposition for reloading. After the dumps or piles of material have beenleft on the ground, the dumps or piles can be subsequently picked-up andhauled to the farm yard to be used for feed or bedding or the like.

Although the invention herein described is fully capable of achievingthe objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it isto be understood that it is ymerely illustrative of the presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention and that it is not to be limitedto the details of construction herein described other than as dened inthe appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A straw and chaff saver comprising a horizontally disposed chassisincluding a pair of spaced parallel beams, an axle connected to the rearends of said beams, ground engaging Wheels connected to said axle, ahorizontally disposed tongue aixed to said axle, a pair of spacedparallel vertically disposed support members aflixed to said axle, ahorizontal-ly disposed rod aiiixed to said support members; a tiltablebody including a frame having a pair of outer bars and intermediate barand said bars having plates connected thereto, said plates havingregistering apertures therein `for the projection therethrough of saidrod, said body further including a pair of spaced parallel verticallydisposed side walls which have their lower portions aixed to said outerbars, spaced apart arms aixed to the rear portions of said side walls,an end gate having its upper portion hingedly connected to said arms,latch means for said end gate, and said latch means comprising springpressed keepers having shoulders thereon for selectively engaging thelower portion of the end gate, a bottom section in the 4lower portion ofsaid body and said bottom section including a plurality of spaced apartframe pieces and a base member mounted on said `frame pieces and afiixedthereto, said bottom section further including a rearwardly disposedcrosspiece for engaging the keepers when the load on the bottom sectionreaches a predetermined weight, cross elements aixed to said side walls,spring members having their upper portions connected to said crosselements and their lower portions anchored to said beams; a plurality ofadjustable counterweights connected to said body; locking means for saidbody, and said lockin-g means comprising a support element axed to saidtongue, a retainer having its lower end pivotally connected to saidsupport element, there being a recess in said retainer delining aretaining clip, a finger connected to the front portion of said framefor selectively engaging said recess and lip, a lug depending from saidtongue, a spring member having its rear end anchored to said last namedlug and its front end connected to said retainer, a bracket aflixed tosaid retainer, a leg depending from the front portion of said bottomsection, a pusher on said leg for engaging said 4last named bracket, andpivot pins pivotally connecting the front portion of the bottom sectionto the front portion of the frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS952,670 Fryman Mar. 22, 1910 1,078,468 Sumwalt Nov. y11, 1913 1,588,681Haney June 15, 1926 1,786,560 Burrows et al Dec. 30, 1930 2,047,500Walker et al July 14, 1936

